《剃头刀》

　　放假的第一天，老师到位于国家图书馆的戏剧中心（Drama Center at National Library）观看《剃头刀》(Titoudao)这部舞台剧。

　　这是一部英语舞台剧，叙述一位福建大戏（Hokkien Street Opera)演员，黄亚千女士的一生。

　　黄女士年轻时，在福建戏曲还盛行的６０年代，把“剃头刀”这个衷心仆人的角色演活了。戏迷之后都以她演活的角色名称称呼她。

　　但是随着时代的进步，电视、电影、电脑科技的引进，福建大戏也渐渐没落了。从万众瞩（zhu3）目的明星，到现今社会“至少现在还可以演给神看”的年代，福建大戏变成了无人问经的民间艺术。

　　看完演出，老师感触良多。记得小时候，爸爸妈妈还会带老师到搭起帐篷空地看潮州街戏。一眨眼十多年了，已经十多年没想要看街戏了。

　　同学们有观赏过任何一场街戏吗？知道自己是什么籍贯(ji2 guan4 = dialect group)的人吗？会用自己的方言吗？

　　《剃头刀》将演出至本月的３１日。有兴趣的同学不妨和爸爸妈妈一起到位于国家图书馆的戏剧中心观看。老师强力推荐！

Titoudao is an English music drama about the life of a Hokkien street opera actress, Madam Oon Ah Chiam. During her early twenties, Madam Oon performed the role of this incorrigible but likeable character – Titoudao, to such perfection that the public fondly called her by this stage name. This is a play inspired by Madam Oon’s memories and experiences.

Set in the 1940s to the present day, Titoudao begins from her childhood in the poor rural area near Upper Bukit Timah Road. It traces her struggles against all odds to become a renowned wayang (Street Opera) star in Singapore and Malaysia. Through her painstaking story, we see the societal and economical changes in Singapore. It is a moving account of the struggles of a petite Chinese woman set against the progression of an ever developing island city. A heartwarming play that is poignant yet hilarious, it will make you burst into peals of laughter at one moment and weep the next. You will leave the theatre inspired by this extraordinary life experience of Madam Oon.